Harvard Square’s dark, dreamy cavern from the Beehive team has live music, warm service, and a rollicking menu that acknowledges carnivores and veggie-lovers alike. Conspire with a new paramour over garlicky mussels frites or a “bohemian platter” laden with dips.

This should be your go-to spot for Korean food in Allston: “Nothing at Bibim has been Americanized, and the heat hasn’t been toned down either,” writes Globe food editor Sheryl Julian. On the menu: authentic “army stew” with slices of Spam.

First it was Banq, then it was Ginger Park. It took Deuxave and dbar chef Chris Coombs (pictured) to transform a doomed South End location into a hit with Boston Chops, a glam steakhouse that isn’t afraid to get frisky with oxtail croquettes and braised tripe.

Swoony couples flock to Tim Wiechmann’s Huron Village hideaway, TW Food, for French cuisine with New American twists. At Bronwyn — named after his wife, the TW hostess — he applies meticulous craftsmanship to the cuisine of Eastern Europe, with a focus on high-quality sausages and native beer. It’s a Bavarian wonderland in the heart of an ever-swankier Union Square.

Gene Wu (pictured) runs one of the few (if only) Xi’an restaurants in the region. His original noodle shop is on a lonesome road in Chelmsford; spice-seeking downtowners rejoiced when he opened a branch on busy Bedford Street. The aroma of his cumin-lamb hand-pulled noodles will make your cube-mates jealous.

This casual Somerville joint from Craigie on Main chef Tony Maws has a slightly lower price point and sells the type of food that Maws cooks for his own family. Lucky family that gets to eat crispy Nova Scotia smelts and grass-fed burgers (pictured) with kimchi Russian dressing.

Mistral mastermind Jamie Mammano’s high-end seafood restaurant on the edge of the Theatre District is a welcome alternative to nearby mega-chains. And with Market at the W Hotel closing in late December, it’ll be nice to have another option nearby—especially if someone else is paying.

Tim Maslow left the tutelage of New York mega-chef David Chang to transform his dad’s Watertown restaurant, Strip T’s, from town hangout to gastronomic temple. Now he has his own four-star place in Brookline, Ribelle, a clamorous den of deliciousness where he elevates simple ingredients to the sublime, says Globe critic Devra First.

The latest from the Island Creek oyster team has all the markings of a hit: prime Fort Point location, impeccable pedigree, lots of local beers on offer, and a madcap menu with curiosities like fish head terrine.

Ana Sortun’s recipe for success? Opening excellent restaurants in quiet neighborhoods. Oleana is on the outskirts of Inman Square, and Sofra is in a sedate corner of Cambridge. Her latest, Sarma, is a splendid mezze parlor on the fringes of Somerville’s Winter Hill. It’s a revelation: Well-priced small plates and hypnotic cocktails that lure locals and curious trekkers alike. Get the pumpkin fritters.